Logan storms US box office proving adult superhero films are the way forward

Brand new Wolverine film Logan has been released to staggering box office figures proving the 15-certificate route could be the superhero genre's future.

In the US, the 20th Century Fox film, directed by James Mangold, looks set to record the biggest opening day for an R-rated film in March with estimates of $32 million (£26m), toppling Zack Snyder's 300 which scored $28.1 million (£22.8m) in 2006.

According to Deadline, Logan - which stars Hugh Jackman, Sir Patrick Stewart and child actor Dafne Keen - is currently on track to amass takings of $79.8 million (£64.9m) - the second best for the Wolverine franchise after 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine ($85m) which was the first of the spinoff franchise.

It most probably helps that this has been pitched as Jackman's final Wolverine film having played the role a grand total of nine times before.

This exact time last year, Fox proved the 'adult' superhero film was a trusted formula after the unprecedented global success of X-Men spinoff Deadpool starring Ryan Reynolds. It's currently tough to predict whether Logan will match that film's takings but a clearer sense will be gathered when the global box office figures roll in as the weekend draws to a close.